Robotic Systems

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Develop control algorithms for individual robots or robot swarms, to undertake simple tasks such as foraging.
• Appreciate the relevance of the biology-robotic interface and how it can benefit both the understanding of biological systems and the design of individual or groups of robots
• Analyse the kinematics of a robot and its associated control system
• Describe the operation and application of a range of sensors (e.g. vision, tactile) and how they can be applied to a mobile or static robot system

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Be able to identify the limitations of a robot (either mobile or static), together with its end effectors and sensors, when applied to a specific environment or task

Introduction

• Definition of robotic systems, including an overview of manufacturing systems, biologically inspired robotics, medical applications, and space applications.

Manipulators

• Classification of types of robot
• Identification of manipulator components and terminology
• Joints classification
• Mobile robot platforms.

Kinematics

• Axis transformations as applied to robotics
• Application and definition of the DH matrix
• Forward and reverse kinematics
• Introduction to Jacobian and dynamic performance
• Path generation
• Definition of workspace.

Teleoperation

• Master-slave systems
• Supervisory control
• Latency problems.

Robotic end effectors

• Characteristic of the human hand
• Underactuated systems
• Stable grip
• Constraints
• Types of contact
• Mathematical representation of stable grip
• Use of screw twist, and wrench gripper design.

Tactile Sensors

• Construction of tactile and touch sensors
• Interpretation of sensory information
• Use of sensory data to determine kinematic information
• Peg into hole problem
• Contacts
• RCC and IRCC systems.

Vision Systems

• Computer vision
• Sobal operator
• Perception
• Optical flow
• Road car
• Quad-copter navigation

Biologically inspired robotics

• Bio-inspired morphologies
• Sensors and actuators
• What is intelligence
• Reactive and deliberative control
• Learning
• SLAM
• Behaviours
• Multi-robot and swarm systems

Teaching and learning methods

All students will be provided with a hard copy of the lectured material. A number of tutoral sessions will be provide, particularly to cover the kinematic and control aspects of the module.

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Craig J J (1993). Introduction to Robotics, Mechanics and Control. Addison Wesley.

McKerrow P J (1993). Introduction to Robotics. Addison Wesley.

Schilling R J (1990). Fundamentals of Robotics - Analysis & Control. Prentice Hall.

Fu K, Gonzalez R and Lee C. Robotics (Control Sensing Vision & Intelligence). McGraw Hill.

Summative

Summative assessment description

Referral

Referral assessment description

Repeat

Repeat assessment description

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External